Elara was experiencing a shift in consciousness between sleep and wakefulness. The concept of time had begun to lose its meaning for her. Her eyes were closed, yet she could see everything around her. The coldness of the metal, the vibration of the devices, the sharp electric scent in the air… All of it overlapped. None of these sensations existed on their own. The presence inside her perceived everything together with her. This connection was no longer a passive coexistence. It was turning into a struggle that slowly resembled a battle to take control.
When her body was fixed onto the platform, she felt it physically, but the real pressure came from within. Control was not just slipping… it was breaking apart. The body was still one, but the will trying to command it had split into two. At this point, Elara realized that something else had replaced fear. This was not pure fear. This was the cold and clear awareness of the possibility of ceasing to exist.
